Tensions in Adiala flare again as Imran Khan’s sisters stage new sit-in outside prison

Sisters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan staged another protest outside Adiala jail on Tuesday after being denied permission to meet him, prompting authorities to deploy additional police contingents.

According to Express NewsNoreen Khan, Aleema Khan and Dr Uzma, along with other party leaders, arrived for a planned family meeting but were stopped by police at the Naka factory checkpoint.

As the official meeting times expired, family members and lawyers were again refused entry, sparking a sit-in led by Aleema. She demanded that Imran Khan be examined by his personal doctors rather than government-appointed medical staff.

Aleema said the protest was not against the police, whom she described as “our brothers”, saying the officers themselves were under pressure. She added that family meetings with Imran Khan had been suspended for weeks, alleging that the former prime minister was being subjected to “mental torture”. She questioned what constituted a “political debate” and criticized the decision to keep him in solitary confinement. She further urged journalists to ask responsible questions.

At the Dahgal checkpoint, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan’s lawyer said meeting the party founder was their legal right. He noted that the Islamabad High Court had ordered that access be given to the family and lawyers, but they were still being denied. Political disagreements, he said, should not turn into hostility. He added that the situation would improve once meetings with Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi resume.

Gohar further said that the National Assembly Speaker also supported the resumption of meetings and Imran Khan authorized Mahmood Khan Achakzai and Allama Raja Nasir to lead the political dialogue. He stressed that the language of confrontation must stop.

As the protest grew, police increased their presence at the Naka factory checkpoint. Police officers were ordered to the scene, while street lights on Adiala Road, near the sit-in, were switched off.

Prison vans and vehicles equipped with water cannons were brought in as a precaution. Officials said they were evaluating options to disperse the crowd if necessary. The administration asserted that necessary measures would be taken to maintain public order as the number of participants continued to increase.

The development comes as Information Minister Ataullah Tarar last week ruled out meetings between PTI leaders and Imran Khan’s family, accusing Dr Uzma of foul play. He said, “Meetings have been suspended,” while warning that anyone attempting to disrupt law and order outside the jail would face FIRs and strict legal action. “The gloves are off,” he added.

High security measures

The protest followed a day of heightened security around Adiala jail, where shopping malls and educational institutions from Gorakhpur to Dahgal checkpost remained closed. A special two-shift security plan has been issued, with over 1,200 police personnel deployed, including SHOs of 20 police stations, eight DSPs and two SPs.

Forty-eight women commandos, six inspectors and teams of RMP Force, Punjab Constabulary, Dolphin Squad and Elite Force were also stationed in the area. SP Saddar Anum Sher supervised the security operation, while SSP Operations Tariq Malik inspected the arrangements on the spot.

Earlier, a five-member medical team from PIMS Hospital conducted a comprehensive medical examination of the PTI founder on the request of the prison authorities. The team consisted of general practitioner Dr Ali Arif, general surgeon Dr Tariq Abdullah, pathology specialist Dr Saman Waqar, dermatologist Dr Mubashir and laboratory technician Nauman Iqbal.